


In Our Bedroom After the War

by Velocity_Owl87



Series: Loup!Verse [10]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Domestic, M/M, Mpreg, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-12
Updated: 2011-12-12
Packaged: 2017-10-27 06:06:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/292440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Velocity_Owl87/pseuds/Velocity_Owl87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Henrik has come back to Sid, they need to sort out preliminaries before they become a family. These are four glimpses of that journey and one glimpse of it once it has been reached.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Our Bedroom After the War

_One_

“Henke's staying in the East.” Sidney repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time to Joel as they sat in the hospital's atrium. Joel frowned at Sidney's words.

“He's breeding and injured. I'd rather he be in our territory and under our protection.” Joel pushed, his eyes narrowing as he explained his own point. Sidney frowned and shook his head. Henrik himself was sitting beside Sidney and getting more annoyed as the meeting dragged on. He didn't interrupt, despite being Joel's younger brother and Sid's elder. He wasn't a territory Alpha and it would more than likely make any outcome go not in his favour if he jumped in without leave. So he sat and cursed the laws that they lived by, since they were now going against him, rather than protecting him.

“He's not an invalid and I can't leave my territory.” Sid stated, his eyes flashing green as he spoke to Joel, who wouldn't back down on the matter of keeping his baby brother and diplomat safe.

“All the more reason for him to come back to Are. None of your enemies will come after him there.” Joel insisted and Henrik had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at his brother's words.

Sid bristled at Joel's words and shook his head. “I'm not dead, Ulfric. I appreciate your concern in regards to my mate, but he is my responsibility. He's carrying my pup and heir. Of course I will do anything to protect him.”

Joel shook his head. “You're not in any position to protect anyone at this point, Crosby. You've barely escaped death.”

Sid glared at Joel. “I'm still here. I won't be out of commission for long and you know that my Court will protect my mate on pain of death. He may be your brother and your diplomat, but he _is_ my mate above all that. And he should have a voice in the proceedings. Henke?”

Henrik blinked at the abrupt change of the conversation and looked at both his brother and his mate.

Although he wanted to go back to Are, the deep nesting instinct demanding a proper den and blood to be nearby when he gave birth...he didn't want to waste anymore time being separated from Sid if he could help it. Even the short times of separation since the wars ate at him. He didn't want to be away from Sid ever again. He wanted Sid to be there when the pup is born, rather than family.

“I'm not going to Are to have the pup. I'll stay with my mate. A pup needs both his parents with him. I won't deny my pup that.”

Joel's eyes narrowed, turning an icy blue at the proclamation, but he didn't fight any longer. Henke had spoken and if Joel tried to push the issue any further, he was risking alienating both Henke and the Eastern Alpha.

He would let his brother have his way. He wasn't that cruel to deny him this.

 _Two_

Henke should have known that the conversation between Joel and Sid signalled what was to become of his role. He had been bound by different laws as his brother and had as much freedom and power as necessary. Even with the link to Sid, he could move around as much as he wanted and not answer to anyone.

(Within reason, he had to remind himself. He hadn't been freed from seeking out his mate until the November Wars, when what became the Western Triumvirate forcefully shut down any reservations that the Eastern Court had over their mating. It had been a bittersweet triumph, but one he had savoured after too long apart from Sid.)

But now, he was bound effectively to Sid. He couldn't go unless Sid gave him permission, as per their own laws dictated, and he wasn't sure that he could make his peace with that. He wasn't the one to go to councils and sit at the tables anymore. His injuries and the fact that he was breeding took care of all of that. As fars as the Courts and Councils were concerned, he was on an extended leave.

Henke never realized how much that rankled, to be pensioned out like so. He was torn between being resentful that he had been relegated in such a role, being glad of the pup that he carried, and how Sid treated him as he would a fragile piece of china. And hated himself for it, since he knew it was only temporary and precautionary.

He understood where it was all coming from, since it was too painfully close to when he and Sid had been separated, The freedom of choice being taken away from him. He had buried that seething resentment in work and practices and building up his career and nameless partners. But there weren't that many distractions now. And he didn't want to take it out on Sid, since he knew it was just the hormones, anxiety, and insecurities messing with his head.

Henke did his best to suppress it all, but Sid still noticed.

“It's not my intention, to have you feel like you're helpless or a prisoner.” Sid assured Henke that night as they lay in bed with Sid curled up behind him, his hand resting on the slight bump that was Henke's belly.

Henke cringed and tried to turn around to look at Sid, but Sid wasn't having any of it.

“You hide it well. I wasn't quite sure what was going on. Only that you weren't quite yourself.”

“I don't like being caged.” Henke replied after a long pause between them.

“I know. Nor does anyone like being pushed into depending on someone else.Especially when they were the ones used to being the strong ones.” Sid parried, making Henke's face heat up.

He had been a fucking idiot, if he had been so blind to what Sid had gone through after their mating and the Wars and now this...For how intelligent he considered himself, he had bombed that one.

“Sid...I'm so fucking sorry. I really am. I've been so caught up-”

Sid shifted and pressed a kiss to Henke's temple to diffuse the situation.

“You're an Alpha. Always have been one. I notice it tends to happen when the roles are reversed.”

Sid commented, a slight tone of amusement in his voice as he spoke.

“I don't know how to take that, to be honest.” Henke replied after mulling it over.

He didn't have a right to be offended, since it was true. Sid had grown into his status and was thus spared the entitlement and arrogance that came with always wielding that much power. Not to mention that Sid hadn't acted out or complained when Henke had been the protector and head of their bond. It would be petty and churlish to get offended over a basic and true fact being pointed out tactfully to him.

“With a grain of salt would be best.” Sid replied before moving so that he coud kiss Henke again.

“Done.”

 _Three_

“Didn't you ever get scared?” Sid asked Max as they stood on the porch of his house in Nova Scotia and watched the birds migrating back after a long, hard winter. They both cradled cups of hot coffee that they occasionally took sips out of to keep from being chilled in the near freezing temperatures. The house was too hot for them, but just right for their mates and Max's pup.

“Of what?” Max asked after taking a mouthful of hot coffee, relishing the burn as it went down.

“Of being a crap parent.” Sid replied, his eyes focused on the brightly coloured horizon as the sun started to come up.

“All the time. It's not like it comes with a manual.” Max replied without hesitation.

“So how do you deal?”

“You play it by ear. Maybe borrow shit from your parents. Ask them for help and stuff.”

“But what if that doesn't work?”

Max sighed. He knew that it was just Sid's perfectionist nature as well as a burning desire to do right by the pup that he never thought he would get. Although it was irritating, he could respect the determination and drive to do a good job. It was, after all, the reason why they both had a Championship ring. But when it came to parenting...the stakes and the lay of the land were completely different.

“No one knows if it does, Sid. Not my parents, nor yours. You just kind of trust that you're doing the best you can, that you love that kid like mad, and that the kid will turn out okay.”

“Huh. So that's all the advice you can give me?”

“Stop trying to grow a mustache. It might scare the kid.”

“You're a dick, Max.”

“Always, big butt. Now quit worrying. You and Henrik are allright. Pup's going to be fine.”

“I hope so.”

“Sid, he's not going to be here for at least three more months. Relax. Save up the worrying for when he's going to be at his First Blooding. Or First Hunt.”

“Shit. Forgot about that. Thanks a lot.”

“Welcome. But seriously, Sid. It's normal. No one knows what the fuck they are doing and they can only hope for the best. You and Henrik, as I said before, are decent. You don't have anything to freak out about. Now relax and let's go back inside. I need more coffee.”

 _Four_

“Is this normal?” Sid wondered outloud as he and Linus watched Henke carry blankets and comforters into the room that has been designated as a nursery for their pup. It was coming closer, the birth date and after several months of lethargy, Henke had suddenly jumped into action, decorating the nursery, and making an honest to goodness nest.

Sid was glad to see him get out of his lethargy, but he didn't understand why Henke had developed an aversion to having him near those past couple of weeks. Yes, he did tolerate Sid touching him, but he wouldn't let him share a bed and would often sleep in the nest, which he was constantly arranging to suit a design that was only in his head.

“Yeah. I just did not have time to do it myself, to be honest.” Linus replied as he jiggled Mason in his arms to get him to settle down and not fuss. Braden had been unable to make the trip with his mate, since he had to visit the Ulfric on his mate's behalf and offer his services as a tracker, as per the mating agreement that had been decided on after Mason had been born. This left Linus and Mason free to visit Sid and Henke and catch up.

“He is just getting ready for the pup to be born in a safe place. You kind of did the work for me, so I did not have to build a nest at the time.”

“Should I help him?” Sid asked, feeling sort of awkward as he entertained Linus in the living room while Henke was busy in the nursery.

Linus shook his head. “Not a good idea. He needs to make the nest himself. Even though you are the sire of his pup, he won't appreciate you barging in what is solely a breeding varg's responsibility.”

Sid took his time digesting that. “I see.”

“It won't be long now. Once he finishes building the nest, things will go back to normal again. I didn't have that happen, but I have been told that by other vargs.” Linus explained.

Sid nodded and wished that Henke would finish his nest quickly. He was missing having his mate sleeping next to him.

“Have patience. He will finish soon.”

 _Five_

“What time is it?” Henke rasped out as he gladly accepted the water that Sid gave him to sip. His throat was parched and he felt like he had run a marathon. He drank the water down and shifted in the nest of blankets, pillows, and comforters to get more comfortable. He paused when he felt the pup move, worried that he might start crying, but the pup only snuggled deeper into his own nest of blankets.

He was exhausted, but his mind wouldn't let him sleep. Endorphins were coursing through his body and Sid's own happiness was giving him a second wind after the six hours that it had taken to bring forth the small, yet solid pups. One of which he held in his arms, while he other was with his father.

“Just a little after three. Why?” Sid asked as he carefully sat down beside Henke as to not jostle the pup in his arms before he looked at his tired mate and the other blue-covered bundle lying cradled in Henke's arms.

“Felt like it took longer than that.” Henke muttered as he looked down at the face of the pup, who was looking at him with wide green eyes. He wrinkled his nose and sneezed, making Sid laugh as the pup in his arms did the same.

“Mmhmm. You should get some sleep, then. We'll have to present them to the Court soon.” Sid replied as he reached out and lightly stroked the pup's cheek with trembling fingers. He kept his touch soft, afraid that he would hurt the pup if he wasn't careful. Realistically, he knew that loup pups were more resilient than human babies, but it didn't matter when it came to his pups, despite being assured by everyone that he didn't have to handle them as if they were glass.

“I know. I should. But I don't want to sleep. Not yet. I just can't believe that we made them. They're just amazing.” Henke replied as he looked at Sid and smiled tiredly. The pup yawned and Henke smiled as he pressed a fingertip to his son's mouth. He traced the small mouth and gasped in surprise when his son started to suckle faintly. He stopped though when he wasn't getting any milk and moved his face away.

“I guess he's hungry. I'll get him a bottle.” Sid told Henke. He looked down at the pup in his arms and noticed that he was pursing his lips and smiled. “I'll get two instead. Both of them seem to be hungry. I'll be right back.”

Sid promised as he deposited the pup right beside his brother and kissing Henke before going to the kitchen and getting the bottles he had made just for that exact scenario.

He took one out, stuck it in the microwave for a couple of minutes to warm it up, shook it to get rid of the hot spots, repeated the action with another one, and went back the nursery nest.

Only to find Henke had fallen deeply asleep and the pups fretting, making soft squeaky noises that would no doubt end up being full-throated cries if he didn't hurry.

“Come here. You're okay. It's allright. No need to cry.” Sid soothed, extricating the babies carefully from Henke's grasp and settling them in his own arms. Once he was sure that he wasn't going to drop the pups, he carefully settled down in the nest and started feeding his pups.

“There you go. It's all good. All good.” Sid murmured, rocking the pups as they drank down the formula with alacrity.

Henke stirred at the sound of his voice, but didn't wake. He only snuggled closer to Sid, murmuring sleepily as he moved closer to his mate and pups.

“It's all right.” Sid whispered as he let go of the bottle and ran his his fingers through Henke's long hair, making his mate sigh in contentment and blindly reach out for his hand, clasping his wrist tightly.

“Thank you.” Henrik murmured, opening his eye to a mere slit to look at his mate and sons again.

Sid smiled at him and slid his hand out of his grasp to caress Henke's face.

“You will always be welcome. Always.”

END.

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by cindyannajones to write about these two. Without her questions and enthusiasm, it wouldn't have happened. Also I got inspired now that Sid's back to write more. Title is from the Stars song and album of the same name.


End file.
